Cambreling goes to Hamburg

French conductor Sylvain Cambreling will become Chief Conductor of the Symphoniker Hamburg at the start of the 2018/2019 season.

Sylvain Cambreling is currently Principal Conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra and General Music Director of Stuttgart Opera.

Sylvain Cambreling had this to say about his new position:

“I am looking forward with great anticipation to my new responsibilities in Hamburg. My encounter with the Hamburg Symphony was immediately exhilarating and a wonderful artistic experience. The Laeiszhalle is not only pervaded with a rich tradition, it is also, acoustically, one of the most wonderful concert halls in the world. This is an honour and I am moved to be succeeding my friend, Jeffrey Tate.”

Daniel Kühnel, CEO of the Hamburg Symphony has told journalists.

“At the end of a very intensive and exciting identification process we are eagerly anticipating our collaboration with a great artist, who will inspire both the audience and the orchestra and will engage his vast musical knowledge and personal integrity to leading the Hamburg Symphony to new heights.”

Dr. Carsten Brosda, Minister of Culture and Media of Hamburg, states, “The fact that the Hamburg Symphony has attracted Sylvain Cambreling as Principal Conductor illustrates the excellent progress made by the orchestra under Sir Jeffrey Tate. This appointment opens up wonderful prospects for the Laeiszhalle and the whole of Hamburg as a City of Music. Sylvain Cambreling’s work will contribute to continuing the successful course of the Laeiszhalle’s orchestra in residence.”

Professor Burkhard Schwenker, President of the Supervisory Board of the Hamburg Symphony, says, “We are very proud that with Sylvain Cambreling our orchestra will have an artist of such international standing as Principal Conductor to continue and enhance the Hamburg Symphony’s exceptional success story. His skill and personality embody the philosophy of the Hamburg Symphony and he will shape and further our orchestra.”

Sylvain Cambreling is well known for thought-provoking programmes. As Chief Conductor of the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg and Principal Conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, he has offered ample proof of his gifts for imaginative programme-planning and persuasive championship of contemporary music.

Sylvain Cambreling was Music Director at La Monnaie for ten years before becoming Music Director at Frankfurt Opera in 1993. Productions notable for the introduction of new and often revolutionary ideas include Pelléas et Mélisande and Les Troyens for the Salzburg Festival; Wozzeck, Fidelio and a Ring cycle in Frankfurt.

In 2009 Sylvain Cambreling received the Echo Klassik “Conductor of the Year Award” and Deutsche Schallplatten Jahrespreise for best orchestral CD. In 2007 he was awarded Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur and the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2012.